Car-signal system.



No. 782,455. v v PATENTED FEB. 14, 1905.

' W. LINTERN.-

GAR SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1904.

' 1/1/311155555, I I ImrEz-ztur,

di f William Zz'nierrz, aww 2' UNITED STATES Patented February 14:,1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

CAR-SIGNAL SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,455, dated February14, 1905.

Application filed November 28, 1904. Serial No. 234,475-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatLWIL IAM LINTERN, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at West Park, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Signal Systems, ofwhich the fol lowing is a specification.

L This invention relates to signals upon motorcars and'trains indicatingto interested parties the conditions governing the movement of such carsor trains. I I p The object of my present invention is to produce anarrangement of electric circuits for automatically operating signalsupon motor cars and vehicles and upon trains, said signals beingmade,preferably, by differently-colored electric lights and operated by theordinary,

circuits when the motor-circuits are open, or,

in other words, when the electric current is shut off from the motors.Fig. II represents the said circuits when the controller is set tooperate the motors in series positions. FigIII shows the said circuitswhen the motors are operated in multiple or parallel positions. Fig. IVrepresents the condition of the said circuits when the direction ofmovement of the motors is reversed and operated in series. Fig. Vrepresents the said circuits when the motors are reversed and operatedin multiple.

In my present system I prefer to employ an electric circuit ofapproximately five hundred volts, such being the voltage ordinarilysupplied to electric-railway cars. It is obvious, however, that thesignaling can be accomplished at different voltages by modifying theresistances of the signal-circuits or by introducing suitabletransforming apparatus.

The reference-numeral 1 indicates a group of incandescentlamps producingacolor effect, Which is preferably red, and 2 indicates another group oflamps, which are preferably green. Each of said groups represents aresistance approximating one thousand ohms, and it is therefore apparentthat other suitable resistance devices may be substituted in thecircuits for some of said lampsin either or both groups when so manylamps as shown are not required.

d is a conducting-wire leading directly from the trolley orline-contact, and Z) is the positive connection therefrom of group 1 ofsignal-lamps.

'0 indicates a series-parallel controller of the usual type, themultifarious contacts of which and conductors leading therefrom notbeing shown, since they are well understood by those skilled in the art.However, the principal changes in the circuits corresponding to thedifferent positions of said controller are indicated in the figures. v

0 represents the rheostat in the motor-circuits of the car.

cl is the armature, and g represents the fieldcoils, of the first or No.1 motor.

a is the armature, and q represents the fieldcoils, of the second or No.Q'motor of the car.

0 is the positive and f is the negative connection to the armature d.

h is the positive and c' is the negative connection to the field-coilsg.

0 is the positive and p is the negative connection to the armature n.

, r is the positive connection to the field-coils q, and s is thenegative wire leading to the ground from said coils. I

j represents a point or points Where both power-line. When power is shutoff from thee the negative wire 70 from the signal group 1 motors, as inFig. I, the point j is at ground: potential, and the path of the currentwill be throughsignal group 1, wire 70, and motor No. 2 to theground-wire s, because the resistance of signal group 2 is much greaterthan that of the windings of motor No. 2. The result is that the redsignal-lamps of group 1 glow brightly, while the green signal lamps ofgroup 2 do not light at all. This indicates to the operator of afollowing or approaching car or other interested parties that power isshut off from the motors and may be designated a danger-signal.

When the reverse-switch is at off position in the common style ofcontroller, the circuit to ground through motor No. 2 is open at thereverse-switch. Consequently the path of thecurrent is through bothsignal groups, resulting in the signal-lights showing at onehalf oftheir full lighting power, which can be construed as a danger or cautionsignal. Upon applying power to the motors the difference of potentialdecreases between the positive wire 6 of motor No. 1 and the positivewire 0 of motor No. 2, and it is only partly affected by the increase ordecrease of current-flow in the motor-circuit, being more directlygoverned by the counter electromotive force developed by the motors.Thus when the position in the series combination (see Fig. II) isreached where there is no rheostatic resistance in the motor-circuit andthe maximum speed is attained the difference of potential between thepoints and a is approximately two hundred and fifty volts, and it is thesame between the points 7' and 8. Then it is obvious that the currentflow through the signal groups 1 and 2 will depend upon their respectiveor combined resistances. The result will be 'a partial lighting of thesignal-lamps of both groups. That of group 2 will begin almost at themoment of applying the power and increase as the power is increaseduntil the position above mentioned of maximum power and speed isreached, while that of group 1 will decrease in lighting effect Withsome methods of control of power to the motors a flicker of thesignal-lamps will occur when the controller is shifted from the seriesto the transition position, but the multiple or parallel position beingreached the conditions then existing (see Fig. III) are approximatelyfive hundred volts at a, and 1' being connected with a through the wire0 and the controller connections there is no difference of potentialbetween said points.

Therefore the current does not flow through signal group 1; but the flowthrough group 2 approximates full power, because the ap proximatedifference of potential existing between and s is five hundred volts.The result of this .position is that the lamps of group 2 glow brightly,while the lamps of group 1 are dark, therebyindicating safety to thoseinterested.

When the controller 0; is operated to run the motors of the car in thereverse or backward direction, it is evident to those familar withcontroller connections that the wires of the motor-armatures which werepositive are through changes of connections in the controller madenegative wires and the negative wires of said armatures are madepositive wires. Thus the wires 6 and 0 become negative wires and thewires f and 1) become positive wires in Figs. IV and V, which figuresshow the connections as they appear with the said motors reversed. Thenas the wires 79 and m are connected to the wire 0 at the point j thecircuit of signal group 1 is completed through the field-coils g, and asthere is at no time a great difference of potential existing between Tand s the lamps in group 1 are fully lighted and the lamps in group 2are out. This condition exists in all the reversed controllercombinations, either in the series or multiple positions, giving alwaysthe danger-signal whenthe vehicle is backing up.

It is obvious that the arrangement of the signals and the dispositionof'them relating to the positions which they may occupy on the cars,vehicles, or trains can be such as to cover several functions at thesame time, and so while my diagrams show their use as rearend signalsthey can, for example, be also used as signals to cars, trains, orvehicles approaching in an opposite direction. When cars or trains arearranged to be operated from either end, either a duplication ofcircuits or suitable switches in circuits such as herein described maybe employed to produce the desired signals. It will also be ob servedthat this system may be employed in connection with any method ofcontrol operating any number of motors in series or in multiple,provided the connections are made as indicated herein, so as to takeadvantage of the varying potentials occurring within the motor-circuits.

Having thus described my invention and what I now consider the best modeof its application, so that those skilled in the art to which itappertains can make and use it either in the form shown herein or undersome modification thereof, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1; In a car-signal system, the combination of motor-circuits,signaldevices, and electrical conductors so connected as to afifect theoperation of said signal devices by reason of the differences ofpotential occurring at the points of connection of said conductors tosaid motor-circuits, substantially as set forth.

2. In a car-signal system, the combination with electric motor circuitsoperated by asuitable controller, of a signal device, and electricalconductors connected to said motorcircuits and said signal device so asto affect the operation of said signal device because of the varyingdifferences of potential occurring.

through the manipulation of said controller at the points of connectionof said conductors to said motor-circuits, substantially as set forth. I

3. In a car-signal system, the combination with electric motor circuitsoperated by a suitable controller, of two sets of signal devices,- andelectrical conductors connecting said motor-circuits to said signaldevices so as to operate one or the other or both of said signal devicesaccording to the position of said controller, substantially as setforth.

4. In a car-signal system, the combination with a plurality of electricmotor-circuits, of a signal device, a conductor leading from thepositive end of said motor-circuits to said signal device, and aconductor leading from the negative end of said signal device to thenormally positive end of one of the said motorcircuits'other than thefirst, substantially as set forth.

5. In a car-signal system, the combination with a plurality ofmotor-circuits, of two sets of signal devices, electrical conductorsconmeeting one set of said devices between the positive end of saidmotor-circuits and the normally positive end of one of the saidmotorcircuits other than the first, and electrical conductors connectingthe other set of said devices between the normally positive and thenegative ends of one of said motor-circuits other than the first,substantially as set forth.

6. In a car-signal system, the combination with electric motor circuitsand a suitable controller therefor, of a plurality of signallampsadapted to produce differing light effects, and electrical conductorsconnecting said motor-circuits to said signal-lamps so as to causeeither or all of said lamps to glow according to the position of saidcontroller, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses, at Cleveland, Ohio, this 23d day of November,1904:.

WILLIAM LINTERN.

Witnesses:

C. R. MINOR, J NO. T. SULLIVAN.

